We go into tonight’s match fully focused on giving our best possible performance to reach the round of 16. Although we were satisfied with our performance and the result in Azerbaijan last week, there is no room for complacency. We know Qarabağ have dangerous players who have caused problems for other Premier League sides this season, and we will need to handle their threat while hitting our best levels.

I can’t stress enough how good it is to be back in front of our home fans after a demanding schedule where seven of our last eight fixtures have been away. It has been a challenge in lots of different ways, not just in terms of the cycle of travel and recovery, but also the reduced time to prepare for each match against high-calibre opponents.

Looking back on this recent period, we can take lots of positives. We needed to respond to the Brentford defeat in the right way, and three consecutive away wins in three competitions against Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Qarabağ was an excellent return.

While we’ve also missed some key players in recent matches, others in the squad have stepped up and taken their opportunity. We’ve looked a genuine goal threat, and even when we’ve fallen short in matches, we have been competitive. Against Manchester City in particular on Saturday, we pushed all the way. We were unfortunate to have a second goal ruled out, and we looked the more likely to score in the late stages of the game.

Throughout this period, your support has been magnificent. You have travelled in huge numbers, even for the longest ever journey for an English club in Champions League history for the first leg of this tie. To be able so share victories with you and have those special moments with you after the full-time whistle has been a privilege for all of us here, and I want to take the opportunity to say a huge thank you.

We want to go as far as we possibly can in this competition, and with you behind us, it gives us every chance. Please continue to back us tonight, and we’ll continue to give everything out on the pitch.

Eddie Howe